Should we be Naming & Shaming Drunk Drivers?

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Named, shamed for drunk driving

December 18 2007 at 07:16AM

By Karen Breytenbach

A total of 73 drivers were arrested at roadblocks for drunk driving this weekend in the Western Cape, the provincial department of community safety said on Monday.

As part of its wider campaign against drunk driving, the department also released the names of 43 convicted Western Cape drivers with the highest blood alcohol levels recorded this year.

The legal limit for regular drivers is 0.05 grams of alcohol per 100ml of blood and 0.24mg of alcohol per 1 000ml of breath. Professional drivers are limited to 0.02 grams per 100ml of blood (less than a beer), and 0.10mg per 1 000ml of breath.

According to Arrive Alive, 0.06-0.09g/100ml counts as lightly intoxicated, between 0.26 and 0.30 is regarded as very strongly intoxicated and anything above 0.31g/ml is classified as a stupor, risking coma or death.

Sentencing depends on the number of offences a driver has committed.

The 10 highest alcohol levels were:

# Loyiso Ndongeni of Philippi, with an alcohol level at 1.44mg/l, who was sentenced to eight months in prison.

# Lungile Koti of Harare had a measurement of 1.42mg/l and was handed a R2 000 fine or four months imprisonment, suspended for five years.

# Stuurman Jooste of Kleinvlei's alcohol level was 1.15mg/l and was handed an acknowledgement of guilt fine of R400, suspended for five years, with a choice of one year in prison.

# Sydney Jansen of Rondebosch measured 1.017mg/l and was fined R3 000, with an alternative of six months in prison.

# David Promo of Tembalethu, whose alcohol level measured at a shockingly high 2.13mg/l, was fined R 3 000 or six months in prison.

# Vian Brits of Sea Point registered 1.29mg/l and was fined R10 000 (10 months).

# Donovan Vollmer, arrested in the Strand and found to have an alcohol level of 1.78mg/l, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment suspended for two years and fined R1 200.

# Manelisi Mtshizana was arrested in Macassar with an alcohol level of 1.28mg/l and given a fine of R1 000, alternatively a 90-day prison sentence suspended for three years.

# Also in Macassar, Jan George Duvenage was caught with an alcohol level of 1.19mg/l and was fined R2 000 (90 days), half suspended for three years.

# Gerhard Louis Botha was arrested in George with a blood-alcohol level of 1.11mg/l and sentenced to 36 months of house arrest and 16 hours of community service a month.

Among the toughest sentences was that handed to Ashley Williams of Malmesbury, whose blood-alcohol level was 0.19mg/l. He was fined R10 000 (18 months), of which R4 000 (eight months) was suspended.

In Wellington, Petrus Hanekom, with 0.37mg/l, was fined R8 000 (two years).

In Ravensmead, Donald Kordom, with a blood-alcohol level of 0.428mg/l on one occasion and 0.745mg/l on another, was fined R12 000 (12 months).
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http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20071218070824599C839606
 
I'm not sure if we should be but don't the sentences seem wildly disproportionate when compared to each other?
 
Are court decisions are a matter of public record?
 
Syndyre said:
I'm not sure if we should be but don't the sentences seem wildly disproportionate when compared to each other?
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I noticed that too. Quite a wide discrepancy. Perhaps it just depends on the individual magistrate or locale.
 
Name them. I think all sex criminals (particularly relating to kids) should be named as well.
 
I dunno about naming and shaming this kind of thing....

Sex criminals yes, without a doubt.
People who cause accidents whilst drunk, maybe...
Drunk drivers... hell the list will get very long very very quickly in this country.
 
Syndyre said:
I'm not sure if we should be but don't the sentences seem wildly disproportionate when compared to each other?
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Why not?

They did this in The Witness and I'm all for it
 
Personally, I'm against it. I can't really figure out why, except to point to the obvious problems like someone else with the same name being associated with something they didn't do, but I'm uncomfortable with the whole idea.
 
Focus your attention on "sober" minibus taxi drivers and speeding.
 
bwana said:
Such as?
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Murder, rape etc. IMO these people should be named and shamed to a greater extent. We need a website up with a searchable database of all those convicted of such crimes along with photos etc.
 
Syndyre said:
I don't support it but its less serious than many other crimes. It can lead to more serious crimes though.
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Well in terms of traffic offenses is there anything worse?
 
Syndyre said:
Murder, rape etc. IMO these people should be named and shamed to a greater extent. We need a website up with a searchable database of all those convicted of such crimes along with photos etc.
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That's fine but no reason for them to then ignore the carnage on the roads.
 
Syndyre said:
I don't support it but its less serious than many other crimes. It can lead to more serious crimes though.
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How is it less serious? A drunk driver has the potential to cause multiple deaths of innocent people.
 
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